Branford Marsalis Tickets

This was such an unusual evening that any review would not be representative. I think they changed the music selection because the bass violin player arrived without his bass violin and the drummer never arrived at all. The first 3rd of the show was disappointing, not so much because of the missing instruments but because the music selection was more standards, hotel-lobby/elevator music. But after a borrowed bass violin, a borrowed drummer, and borrowed drumsticks, the show became everything I expected plus some! Through it all, Branford managed through the on-stage issues caused by travel mishaps, and displayed his excellent musicianship.

Drummer did not show Bass player had to borrow an instrument Entire concert was disorganized... They did know what songs they were going to play It was not practiced or polished... Totally unprofessional

Marsalis' concert was great even though the drummer never made it to Rochester because of weather and airplane delays. A volunteer (I believe from the Eastman School of Music), Eric Schmidt, was the replacement drummer for the evening. The evening was a bit of improv but that is what jazz is all about.

What a wonderful concert! Thoroughly enjoyed the unstructured feel; even though Branford Marsalis said it was mayhem up there (missing and late band members; flying to Europe the next day...) this was part of the fun. How amazing to have these problems and still produce such a great sound. Kudos to Eric Schmidt (Eastman student?) who filled in on drums unexpectedly!

At first it was Branford and his pianist, percussion arrived about 75 mins after concert started and we weren't sure if he was from audience or part of Quartet. Bass player came into concert after about 20-30 mins. It was not a planned concert/set but haphazard and confusing. We could hear the music well but speaking to each other was not audible in Loge area. When all of quartet was there, IT WAS GREAT!

The sound at the refurbished Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater was excellent - there's no doubt about that. However, the new seating was perfectly awful. There was more than a little complaining about the inability to see anything on stage because the view was obliterated by the person sitting directly in front of you. The only time I actually saw the members of the band was when I stood up to applaud for the encore. The person in front of me had already left the theater. All the money spent of refurbishment and they couldn't get that right??? Branford Marsalis and his band did not play well and were very disorganized. He joked several times about their being off-key and not knowing the play list. He joked that it was "mayhem" on stage. Two of the band members walked onto the stage very late in the program. The base player showed up but his base did not. The drummer was also a no-show and Branford asked if there was a drummer in the audience, then he sat at the drums for part of a song before the drummer walked in. Very disorganized and very disappointing!!! The tickets were far too expensive at the higher end to say that ot was a good show.

This was a killer show. The band has a new energy that brings their sound to the next level...if that is even possible. Great set list too. The crowd loved them. Branford sounds better than ever before. Can't wait to see them in Rochester on 10/18.

While the musicians who accompanied Brandford Marsalis on stage are extremely talented, I went to this event to hear Mr. Marsalis play. I was very disappointed about the minimal time that he played and that he did not do at least one solo.

Not sure if it was because he got upset when his saxophone fell, but he just seemed a little off. The rest of the band was jamming, especially the interaction between piano and drums. Branford stayed in the background a little too much. Did not jam with the saxophone like had seen him do before, especially earlier in the year at the Newport Jazz Festival.

We were quite dissapointed, we like his CD ( I think it is called "Subtle") but what they played all night was too frenetic, to staccato, to loud and not at all what I have come to like from listending to him at home. It also was not tuneful or melodic, seemed to lack both for all but perhaps one or two of the songs It is not my type of Jazz.

The concert was amazing experience. I was lucky and got seats quite close to the stage. His play is very relaxed, clear and very inspiring. He plaid both alto and soprano saxophones. All the musicians were really good. I hope he comes to Boston soon again.

The Branford Marsalis Quartet performed at Berklee last night to a packed house. Jazz definitely lives! There were young people and old people, people of different colors, shapes, and sizes all having a blast. The quartet features a new drummer after decades of Jeff "Tain" Watts who has left to lead his own group. Justin Faulkner, Tain's replacement, is a young Berklee student who can provide great color with the drum kit as well as playing in whatever style is appropriate for the quartet at the moment. While the new album Metamorphosen is built around the Thelonious Monk tune, Rhythm-A-Ning, the live show relied more on the Quartet's ability to create a Coltrane sound - especially from Faulkner on drums and Joey Calderazzo on piano and then resolve in a post-Trane, Marsalis sound. Mid-way through the show, Marsalis put his tenor down on its stand began the next tune on soprano, and as Calderazzo started playing the piano, the stand collapsed and the tenor fell over. Marsalis was visibly shaken and it took him - and us - into the next tune to relax, reassure himself that the tenor was undamaged and dig back into the music. Nevertheless it was a great show.

Both my husband and I were very disappointed with the concert last night. We both expected that the featured artist would perform the majority of the concert. Unfortunately, his pianist and drummer individually were featured more than he was. During the first two songs, Marsalis played the intro then went to the back of the stage to have his band perform the majority of the song without him. He did perform two nice songs with his saprano sax that were the best I have heard with the saprano. I will never buy tickets again that has Marsalis as the featured artists - not worth the money but on the other hand his pianist and drummer are...

I just attended the concert just for his famous name, Branford. I had not heard of his music, which worried me. But the songs were great. I hope to buy his CDs if they include the musics they played yesterday.

I wish he were performing a little longer in Boston because his talent is incomparable. The drummer Jeff Watts, at a mere 18-years-old, is beyond impressive. I can't wait for their return!

I wish they would have played all night. They were fantastic!

The young drummer from Berklee , whose name I forget, was truly amazing and energetic.

The opening band was pretty good. Branford and his band were amazing. The theater was first rate.